Transcript Issues & Challenges of Latin America

Issues & Challenges
of Latin America
Mexico, Central America, the
Caribbean, & South America
Chapters: 10-12
Mexico City
(pages 234-235)
 Describe the history of the site of Mexico City.
 Name & describe 5 places of interest within the
city for tourists.
 Describe 4 Environmental Problems of Mexico
City and the efforts to solve these problems.
Mexico City - Answers
 Founded on the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan in central Mexico.
At its height it was larger than any European city at that time.
 1. Zocalo – Mexico City’s main square 2. Metropolitan Cathedral
– (1500s) is the largest church in Latin America 3. National
Palace – houses gov’t offices and Diego Rivera murals 4. Templi
Mayor – Aztec Ceremonial Pyramid 5. Chapultepec Park – one of
the world’s largest urban parks
 Air pollution caused by cars & factory chemicals. City pumps
huge amounts of water from wells & it is lowering the water table
causing areas of the city to sink. Earthquakes. Factories have
been forced to cut production or close. Cars with certain licenses
can be only be driven on certain days. All new cars must have
anti-pollution devices. Old cars are restricted from the road on
“emergency” days.
Mexico
Issues
Effects of Issues
 Economic Inequality
 Reducing Poverty
(especially amongst
Mexican Indians)
 Migration (legal & illegal)
 Curbing Crime (drugs)
 Poor infrastructure
(unclean waters/sewers,
worn out transportation
systems)
 Bring political/economic
instability
 Might slow migration
 Takes away skilled
workers from economy
 Further economic/social
progress
 Causes health problems
& people cannot get their
goods to market
Central America
Environmental Issues
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Volcanoes
Earthquakes
Hurricanes
Mudslides
Hurricanes
Volcano – Costa
Rica
Earthquake
Damage
Mudslides
Montserrat’s Soufriere
Volcano
 Errupted in 1995, destroying the islands capital
and displacing thousands. The island’s
inhabitants were forced to move to the northern
part of the island. After another eruption in
1997, 2/3 of the population fled.
El Nino
1997 satellite image shows an El Nino developing in the
eastern Pacific. The warmer water is in white.
El Nino (means “The Boy”)
 Shows how a physical process that
happens on once side of the planet can
affect environments thousands of miles
away.
 Increases precipitation off North & South
America causing hurricanes, flooding,
etc.
Issues & Challenges of
South America
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Deforestation
Soil Exhaustion
Border Disputes
Terrorism/Drug Trafficking
Slums
Amazon Basin
Development
 Resources found in the Amazon rainforest
include
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Rubber
Oil exploration
Bauxite
Copper
Gold
Iron-ore
Land for ranching & farms
Development Causes
Deforestation/Soil Exhaustion
Cleared lands that
will be used for
farming & the raising
of cattle.
Slash & Burn
Methods are
common.
Border Disputes
 Left Bolivia landlocked in the 1880s
 Ecuador & Peru
 Venezuela & Guyana
Terrorism/Drug Trafficking
 Groups use fear as a
political force
 Example: Colombia
 Much of the violence is a
result of the drug trade.
 Illegal profits from drugs
are used to buy off or
assassinate judges &
politicians and to support
private armies
80% of all cocaine & 90% of all
marijuana that enters the U.S.
comes from South America.